No. 11 Vanderbilt Men’s Golf came back from across the border, where it placed 12th at the Cabo Collegiate March 3. This week, the Commodores played in the Linger Longer Invitational, held at the Great Waters Course at Reynolds Lake Oconee in Eatonton, Georgia, from March 20-22.
The course played as a 7,436-yard par-72, and it played relatively easily, with several low scores throughout the week. The Commodores started Wells Williams, Ryan Downes, Michael Riebe, Jon Ed Steed and first-year Will Hartman, who received his first collegiate nod. Chase Nevins and Carlos Astiazaran also played as individuals.
Vanderbilt started off hot, with all five starters breaking par on the first day. Steed, Downes and Riebe all shot 3-under 69s, while Williams and Hartman both posted scores of 71, as the team finished at a mark of 10-under 278 to sit in fourth place on the leaderboard. Still, the Commodores were ten shots back of Georgia, which had a monstrous 21-under day.
“It was good to see Will [Hartman] play well in his first round in the lineup. Also, I thought Jon Ed [Steed] and Ryan [Downes] were really solid and in control all day,” head coach Scott Limbaugh said after the round. “I was proud of the way we came out ready to play this morning, and we really played well most of the round, which was great to see.”
The second round did not go as well for Vanderbilt, as it finished with a 1-over 289. Steed shot 2-under with five birdies to jump to seventh place individually, while Williams, who has had just one round over par this spring, made a clutch birdie on the par-5 18th hole to post a round of 1-under. Astiazaran had his best round as a Commodore, shooting 69 with an eagle on the sixth hole.
“This group is continuing to shape our identity, and every single day matters,” Limbaugh said. “Jon Ed [Steed] was steady and in control all day, which was big for the team. I also thought Wells [Williams] did a great job without his best stuff. Also, it was great to see Carlos [Astiazaran] play a good round, and hopefully that can get him going.”
On the final day, Williams, who is ranked No. 3 on the PGA TOUR U leaderboard, found his rhythm. The senior made an eagle on the second hole and never looked back, running to a 5-under day of 67 to place sixth overall — his sixth top-10 finish this season in seven events.
Steed continued his great play, posting a 4-under 68 to finish in fourth place individually, marking the freshman’s first career top five. Hartman, the 2025 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Champion, shot a 69 to finish his first starting event in 23rd place.
Despite Downes and Riebe coming in at 1- and 2-over, respectively, Vanderbilt’s team score of 11-under 277 was good enough for it to finish third on the team leaderboard. Its 54-hole score of 20-under 844 was the lowest of the spring season so far. Georgia ran away with the championship, though, carding a 48-under 816.
“We got off to a good start today, and it was good to create some momentum,” Limbaugh said. “It was an important day for us, and it’s good to see some guys step up. I’m really proud of Will [Hartman] and how well he hung in there all week in his first start. We need to take the momentum from today into how we prepare and get better moving forward.”
The Commodores next host their annual event — the Mason Rudolph Championship — from April 3-5 at Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tennessee.